Japan petition takes aim at Trump manga, anime posts

President Donald Trump listens during an event at Custer Farms in Chippewa Falls, Wis., Friday, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Almost 20,000 people have signed an online petition in Japan to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump and the White House using manga and anime characters in posts on social media.

In the latest example, a video on Truth Social uploaded on Saturday depicts Trump as ninja Naruto Uzumaki from “Naruto”, sparking a furious reaction from some fans of the popular series.

An earlier White House post in March appeared to mix footage from U.S. military strikes on Iran with clips from well-known movies and shows as well as from manga and anime series “Yu-Gi-Oh!”.

The petition was originally started in March but was re-opened on Tuesday after the new “Naruto” video as an “urgent” effort to convey the concerns of manga and anime fans to rights holders, the organizers said.

“For many years, these works have inspired audiences around the world by conveying values such as courage, friendship, and perseverance,” the petition reads.

“Because of this, many fans feel concerned when images from these works appear to be used in political or military contexts that may differ from the intentions of the original creators or rights holders,” it says.